Forever, I'll Be Here
by mercscilla
Summary: In the aftermath of the Battle of Terra Nova, it is Jim who finds them.


**Author's Note:** I wrote this deathfic in less than two hours. I never wrote this genre before but Terra Nova and especially Taylor/Wash does things to me... Hopefuly it is not too weird. The song that inspired this one is 'Keep The Streets Empty For Me' by _Fever Ray_.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I own neither the show nor the characters. I don't earn any money with this piece. I just do it for fun.

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><p>In the end it is Jim who finds them, sitting at the bottom of what once has been stairs, leading to the burned down command building. He doesn't have to see their faces to know it is them. Even bruised and battered, Taylor still cuts an impressive figure, and the woman, her head bedded on the Commander's left shoulder, long, black hair tumbling over his arm, is unmistakeable Wash.<p>

They are talking, whispering, to low for Jim to understand, but that is the last of his concerns. His eyes zero in on the blood on the ground surrounding them, dark and thick, too much to be from just one person and he feels the bottom drop out of his stomach.

(That is the first piece of the puzzle.)

He had been there, had heard Lucas taunt his father, taunt him for failing Terra Nova, fail _his_ Lieutenant, and Jim had watched with no certain degree of alarm as Taylor hadn't side-stepped his son's blade. Later the Commander claimed it was nothing more than a cut in his armor, had waved off Elisabeth's fretting, and that alone should have given Jim a clue that _nothing_ had definitely been something. Something terrible wrong.

(Another piece slides into place.)

Cautiously he walks closer, kicking up dust and ash with every step he takes. "Commander?"

The man in question stiffens, then turns slightly to look at him over his shoulder and the look on Taylor's face is one Jim has never seen before, not even when they realized that Lucas had betrayed his father. Pain, grief, sorrow, despair, it is all there but also grim determination, pale eyes blazing with it.

"Shannon," he greets him, voice raspy, hollow, a far cry from the Commander's usual sharp tone.

(And a third, fitting right between the first two.)

"I-I think, I should get Elisabeth. You need to-"

"No. There is no need."

Silence descends as Taylor turns back to Wash, gently brushing a strand of hair out of her face, fingers tracing an invisible line along her cheek, and it is such an intimate gesture that Jim feels like an intruder.

Suddenly, a harsh, wet cough shakes her whole body, leaving her gasping for air, and Taylor moves his hand to her shoulder, grips her tightly and cradles her against his chest, guiding her through it. When it is over and she sags back into his embrace, tired and worn out, barely conscious, he presses his lips against the side of her head, murmuring quietly into her ear.

(The fourth and fifth piece go hand in hand.)

Jim shifts from feet to feet, he's on the edge, doesn't know what to do, does know what he should do. Taylor saves him from his dilemma.

"Tell me, Shannon, how are our people?"

"We've seen better days but we're managing. The housing units are our new command base since, well," he looks around the destroyed square. "Anyway, so far there have been only minor injuries and we're already busy repairing what we can. The Sixers are quite useful when it comes to work without technology, especially in the med center. Did you know that Carter is a medic? He and Skye are helping Elisabeth, they make a really good team, those two, which concerns me a bit. Should keep an eye on him. Oh, and Mira is arguing with Guzman. Over which dinosaur makes for a better barbecue. Never thought I would see the day."

He's babbling, he realizes, afraid of what is going to happen once he stops talking. But he runs out of words soon enough and dreads what's coming next.

Taylor nods thoughtfully, rubbing a thumb over Wash's hand, fingers entwined, lending her his strength even though he's weakening with every heartbeat as well.

(The sixth piece finds its place.)

It takes a great deal of effort but Wash reaches up with one hand to caress Taylor's bruised cheek, leaving traces of blood and grime, giving him a soft smile.

"It is time."

Jim has to strain his ears to understand her and her words are like a punch to the gut. He watches, helpless to do anything else, as Taylor gets up without haste, almost as if he has all the time in the world, holsters his gun and bends down to carefully pick up Wash, not wanting to cause her any more pain while ignoring his own.

There is a stinging in Jim's eyes that has got nothing to do with the flakes of dirt in the air. These two people in front of him, his closet friends, are about to embark on a journey he cannot accompany them. No one can. It is solely theirs to make.

(The last piece.)

Smoke swirls around them, gray around black, binding them together though there is no need. Nothing could break Taylor's hold on Wash. One arm around her back, the other under her knees, he carries her towards the remains of the fence, towards what lies beyond.

He should stop them, tell them to stay, but the words are stuck in his throat and Jim thinks that while they won the battle of Terra Nova, they have done so with a great sacrifice. He is not sure if it was really worth it.

They are almost past the gate when Taylor speaks up one last time.

"Terra Nova is yours now, Shannon."

And then they are gone, swallowed by the smoke and ash. Gone forever.

Rain begins to fall, washing away the blood and dirt, washing clean the memory of the battle that has taken place here and the lives that have been lost. Jim doesn't notice and it is only when Elisabeth lays her hand on his arm, he realizes he's been standing in the same spot for several minutes, lost in thought.

"Jim? Have you found them?"

"No," he shakes his head, turning his attention towards his wife. "No, they are...gone."

(The puzzle is complete and finally comes to life.)

In the following years the story of the fearless Commander Taylor and his Lieutenant, who sacrificed themselves to save the colony and its people, is told many times, it changes from generation to generation, but the ending is always the same.

They are still out there, watching over Terra Nova for as long as it exist.

- END -


End file.
